Wood Bison Hunt - Hay-Zama

Hunting

Reasons For The Hunt

The Alberta Government first initiated a limited hunting season for the Hay-Zama bison herd in 2008, when the population was nearing 700 animals. This unique hunt, is designed to contain the Hay-Zama herd to the Hay-Zama area, and to maintain
a herd size of 400 to 600 animals.

The lower goal of 400 bison is designed to ensure that there are enough healthy and genetically diverse adults for breeding. The upper goal of 600 ensures that bison are not forced out of the Hay-Zama range by overpopulation, which would
potentially put them in contact with diseased bison to the east, in and around Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP). There is a history of diseases – including tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis – among WBNP and Wentzel herds. Testing of
the Hay-Zama herd has not found evidence of either of these diseases. We will resume testing this 2016/17 season.

The hunt has the additional benefit of addressing public safety concerns in the area, particularly in the communities of Chateh and Zama where vehicle collisions
with bison have occurred. Controlling the herd size helps minimize the risk of these encounters.

A population survey conducted in February 2016 found 625 bison in the Hay-Zama herd, which is sufficient to continue the hunt, and increase licence numbers.

The Rules For This Year’s Hunt

All hunters harvesting bison in the Hay-Zama area require a Resident Bison Special Licence.

Aboriginal hunters:

All First Nations residents of Alberta, as well as Métis hunters from Fort Vermilion and Paddle Prairie who quality under Alberta’s Métis Harvesting Policy, are eligible to obtain a limited number of free bison licences. These will be
available from the High Level and Fort Vermilion Fish and Wildlife offices starting on August 16, 2016. A total of 250 Aboriginal licences will be issued.

Aboriginal hunters will be able to hunt bison in the Hay-Zama area from September 1 2016 – March 31 2017.

There is extremely high demand for these licences - in past years, all licences were issued within one day. Given this high demand, Aboriginal hunters are urged
to voluntarily limit bison licences to one per family.

Successful draw hunters:

Non-aboriginal hunters who are successful in the annual bison hunting licence draw will be able to hunt bison from December 1 2016 to February 28 2017.

A total of 125 non-Aboriginal licences have been made available.

Rules and guidelines for all hunters:

All successful bison hunters must register their kills at a Fish and Wildlife office within five business days.

All hunters are being encouraged to harvest male bison (bulls).

Aboriginal hunters are encouraged to apply for only one special licence per family, as a limited number are available.

All successful hunters will be encouraged to provide samples for disease testing.

Questions?

To speak to a Fish and Wildlife officer about the hunt, contact these offices: